Mel B breaks down and leaves 'AGT' stage — all because of this sibling band’s heartbreaking song
Known for her fiery and no-nonsense judging style, Mel B hardly gets emotional on 'America's Got Talent.' However, in a rare instance, the 'Spice Girl' alum couldn't help but break down in tears. Not only that, but the singer was so overwhelmed with emotions that she walked out of the set to compose herself privately.
In the Season 13 premiere of 'America's Got Talent,' sibling band We Three performed a heartfelt original song. The group consists of Joshua, Bethany, and Manny. Before their performance, the siblings shared the deep personal story behind their music, where Bethany, 24, explained, "Before we could even walk, we were immersed in music," as per Entertainment Tonight. Their parents, especially their father, who was also in a sibling band, inspired them. Joshua added, "As we got older, Mom and Dad helped us learn instruments, and then eventually we started performing with each other."
However, their musical journey became intertwined with grief after their mother, who was both their sound engineer and their greatest supporter, fell seriously ill. Bethany recalled,
"Mom, she had a beautiful voice, and she was so supportive of us. Then, in 2015, she had severe back pain. She went to the doctor, and they found large masses throughout her body." The group then delivered a powerful and emotional performance in tribute to their late mother, who passed away much sooner than expected. "We had kind of a shocking four months with her before she passed. Which was way shorter than we were expecting," Bethany shared.
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Josh said, "This is an opportunity to celebrate her and the hope that we have that we're going to get to see her again." Their original song, "Heaven's Not Too Far Away," is uniquely written from the perspective of their mother speaking to her children after her passing. With Manny and Bethany's stirring vocals, the performance moved many in the audience to tears. During their performance, their father stood offstage with host Tyra Banks, both visibly overwhelmed.
When the judges gave their feedback, they received unanimous praise, with Mel B offering the most heartfelt response. "I lost my father over a year ago to cancer, so I felt like that song was just meant for me and my dad was singing that to me," she shared, openly crying. "So I just felt it, I'm shaking. It's really, really good." Mel B, still emotional, gave the group a tearful "yes" vote and gently encouraged them with a sincere "well done" as they walked off stage after being voted through to the next round.
Before the show cut to commercial, a shaken Mel B quietly walked off to compose herself in private. Notably, in the Judge Cuts round, the group performed their original song 'Lifeline' and earned standing ovations from all five judges, Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum, Simon Cowell, and guest judge Martina McBride, advancing to the Quarterfinals alongside Noah Guthrie.
In the Quarterfinals, We Three delivered another original song, 'So They Say,' receiving standing ovations from Heidi Klum and Mel B and enough audience votes to move on to the Semifinals, per America's Got Talent Wiki. Their Semifinals performance 'Makeup,' also earned a standing ovation from Mel B. However, they placed in the middle tier of votes and lost the Dunkin' Save to Glennis Grace. In the Judges' Choice, only Mel B voted in their favor, resulting in their elimination
After the show, We Three released their self-titled debut album on December 14, 2018, featuring their 'AGT' songs and nine new tracks. Singles like 'Lifeline' and 'Heaven's Not Too Far' gained traction, and their EP 'We’re All Messed Up… But It’s OK' included the hit 'Machine.' They received heavy airplay on Radio Disney and iHeart Radio and made numerous TV appearances. By February 2020, the band was touring Europe and working on their next full-length album, marking a successful post-AGT musical journey.